Uxmal was once one of the most prominent cities in the Mayan empire. Today the Uxmal compound is a fraction of the city's former size, though several of the grandest structures remain remarkably intact. The Pyramid of the Magician is an unusual structure, both due to its longevity and manner of construction. It was customary for the Mayans to build pyramids over already existing pyramids, a practice that effectively buried the older structure. At Uxmal, however, the pyramid was built slightly to the east of the existing pyramid. Today visitors can view both the newer eastern half, and the older western half. Both portions are largely intact--due to the durability of Puuc style construction, a manner of building that called for the setting of large stone blocks into a concrete core.